Congressional Request for Flexibility Under MBTA

Ethan Lane, National Cattlemen's Beef Association vice president of government affairs, released the following statement in response to a congressional request for increased regulatory flexibility under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA):

“Whether it is black vultures, ravens, or cormorants, MBTA-protected avian predators pose a significant risk to newborn calves and livestock operations across the country. Despite populations of each species numbered in the millions, current regulations place arbitrary caps on permitted take and incur heavy restrictions on preventative measures necessary to protect farming and ranching operations. We appreciate the leadership of Sen. Boozman and Rep. Bishop and look forward to engaging with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to implement commonsense solutions to this problem.”

Background:

Yesterday, a letter signed by 15 U.S. Senators and 23 Members of Congress, was sent to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Acting Director Margaret Everson. The letter requested that the Service promulgate new rules to increase flexibility in the MBTA permitting process to empower livestock producers to protect their livelihoods. The bipartisan, bicameral letter was led by Sen. John Boozman (R-AR) and Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-GA-2).